Blossoming of the Rose
by Lady Starlyra
Summary: This story picks up right at the end of the movie with Seiji's proposal. Shizuku, a girl who had always been in love with books now has a new love in her life. How will she deal with these strange, new emotions and still be herself? R&R welcomed.
1. Chapter 1: A Confession

Hullo everyone and welcome to my first fanfic. I welcome reviews and comments but please be gentle! The first chapter is small and I apologize but I promise it will get better, so enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Whisper of the Heart, that honor goes to Studio Ghibli.**

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**Blossoming of the Rose: By Lady Starlyra**

_**Chapter 1: The Confession**_

"I love you!!"

As Seiji and Shizuku watch the rising sun wrapped in each other's arms, she thinks back on how this moment came to be. Books, it was all because of her first love that she met her second.

"Shizuku, are you okay?"

Startled out of her thoughts, she looks up to his worried face in surprise. "Sorry, I was just thinking about books."

Seiji looks at her a moment, then bursts out laughing. "Books! Why should I be surprised about that? Is there room in your heart for me as well?"

"Of course there is!" Feeling her face turning red at this statement, she quickly presses her forehead to his chest. Could he read her mind? "I mean, books hold a special place for me, but you, you have made your own spot in my heart." Shizuku tries to escape his arms, but just ends up turning to face the sunrise and leaning against his chest. "Oh man, that sounds as corny as some of my lyrics."

Letting her go, he moves to stand next to her and gazes over the landscape. "I never thought your lyrics were corny. It must have been hard to translate that song. And 'Concrete Roads', funny, but very true. You have a gift with words that would make any author green with envy."

"Do you really think so? I didn't think 'Baron's Story' came out all that well. I was actually thinking about throwing it away and forgetting about it."

Seiji shakes his head, "I don't think you should. Grandpa told me how great it was for a rough draft. He actually told me that it reminded him of my first violin." Chuckling softly at that memory, he turns to her. "Somehow I don't believe your story was anything like that splintered mess I made. Shizuku, I know that what I said must seem like it came out of no where, but I want you to know that it came from the heart and that I mean it. So please, think about what I've said." Grabbing her hand and leading her to the bike, he smiles. "Come on, I better get you home before you get in trouble. I want your parents to like me, not think I'm a trouble maker."

Hopping on the back of his bike, Shizuku runs over the last hour of events. She, Shizuku Tsukishima, has a boyfriend! What is Yuko going to say? And Michiko? And the rest of her friends? But is she really his girlfriend and does she have those kinds of feelings for him? And what about his proposal, was he just caught up in the moment when he asked? So many questions, so few answers. But one thing is for certain; she does have some feelings for him, perhaps not love yet, but just the beginnings. Wrapping Seiji's jacket tighter around her, she leans closer to him with a sigh.


	2. Chapter 2: Sleeping Beauty Awakens

Here we are at chapter 2 and like I promised, it's longer!

Whisper of the Heart characters (c) Studio Ghibli

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_**Chapter 2: Sleeping Beauty Awakens**_

"Shizuku, did you fall asleep in your clothes again? It's time to get up; I need you to do the laundry today. I have to run to the university to meet with my professor and your father is at the library." Asako runs around gathering her things and looking for her wallet. "Please Shizuku, listen to me, do the laundry and any studying you need to do. I'll be back before suppertime so no need to make it. I'll see you this evening!" Grabbing her wallet by the phone, she runs out and slams the door behind her. Mothers, sometimes they are worse then siblings.

Shizuku groans and stretches out with a yawn. Wait a minute, what happened to Seiji? Was it all a dream? Rolling over to the wall, she tosses the covers off her with a groan. A dream, of course it was a dream! Why would Seiji tell her that he loves her much less propose to her?? "What is this?" Sitting up, she pulls the jacket she was wearing in her dream out from under her. "This was Seiji's jacket….but it was a dream! But then whose jacket is this? It doesn't look like dads." Turning it all around without finding anything, she finally looks in the pockets and discovers a piece of paper.

Note:

_Dear Shizuku,_

_Imagine my surprise when we got to your house and I find you fast asleep already. I didn't want to disturb you, so I carried you up to your room. Don't worry, no one woke up. I also picked up the umbrellas near the door, messy girl. I don't know if you have plans for this afternoon, but would you like to meet me at the library around 3? I hope to see you then, Sleeping Beauty._

_Seiji_

"So it wasn't a dream….and he wants to meet at 3:00. Is this a date? No, he must just want his jacket back."

With a sigh, she hugs his jacket before slowly getting out of bed. Changing into some clean clothes, she begins to gather the laundry before getting something to eat. Half way through her bowl of cereal, she drops her spoon. "Three o'clock?? He wants to meet at three and it's already noon! I have to get this laundry done and work on some of my studying that I promised mom I start." Quickly finishing her breakfast/lunch, she digs out her books and begins studying.

Three hours and two loads of laundry later, she prepares herself to leave the apartment. Looking at herself in the mirror, she makes a face as she tries to fix her hair. "Ugh, it's like a wire brush! Oh well, it looks like it does every other day. And why am I worrying about it, I'm just going to see Seiji." Seiji…why does my heart pound when I say his name. Could it be…could I be in love with him? As she daydreams, her eyes stray over to the bathroom clock. "Oh no! I'm going to be late!"

Looking just like her mom earlier, she dashes outside and begins running towards the train. As soon as she gets to the station, she hears her name being called. "SHIZUKU!! Hey, wait up!"

Skidding to a stop, she turns to see who is calling her. "Yuko?? Hi, how are you?"

"Shizuku, where are you going in such a rush? Wait, let me guess, the library. Well, can you spare a few minutes? I really need to talk to you."

Glancing at her watch with a frown, she then looks to Yuko's worried face. I guess Seiji will have to wait. "Sure, I'm always here to listen. What's wrong?"

Walking over to a bench, they sit and Yuko proceeds to tell her how odd Sugimura has been acting towards her. "Like today, I saw him at the store and he just kept staring at me. And every time I caught him, he looked angry." Yuko stares down at her folded hands in her lap, trying to hold back tears. "Do you think he is still mad at me for the other day? I apologized and he seemed fine then. So why is he mad at me now?"

"Oh Yuko, please don't cry. You shouldn't be upset; I don't think he is mad at you. Sugimura can be weird sometimes; maybe he was just having a bad day…" Meanwhile, Shizuku is thinking in her head on how she is going to have a long talk with Sugimura. He shouldn't be taking out his anger of her on poor Yuko. "Listen, if you want, I'll talk to him and see what is going on in his empty head."

Looking up from her lap, she wipes the tears from her eyes and shakes her head. "No, I should talk to him myself today. I don't want him to think that I'm not brave enough to stand up for myself." Standing up, she looks over to the approaching train. "Thank you for listening to me Shizuku; you are such a great friend. I won't keep you from your love any longer, so I'll let you catch your train."

She looks up quickly at Yuko's last sentence. Does she know? How could she, I didn't say anything. Is it written all over my face?

Yuko looks down to her and says teasingly, "You should hurry up before you miss it. The books would never forgive me for keeping you!"

Standing up slowly, she nods with a soft sigh of relief. She doesn't know. "Call me later, okay and let me know how everything goes. And if you still want me to talk with him, I will. Gook luck!!"

Running over to the train, she hops on without a moment to spare and takes a seat. Glancing at her watch with a groan, she slumps in her seat. She wasn't going to make it in time. Seiji is going to think that she stood him up. What will she do now? Glancing out the window with a look of absolute sadness, she suddenly feels a rumbling heavy weight on her lap. "Moon? What are you doing here? Off to see Grandpa again?" Looking down to the aloof cat, she begins to pet him softly as she debates what to do next. "What do you think Moon, should I risk going to the library or should I just go see Grandpa?"

Suddenly, Moon jumps off her lap and runs to the door as the train makes it's stop. Following him has never got her into trouble before, so she quickly follows him out the door and into the street. In the beginning, it seemed that Moon was leading her to the library, but as time went on, he veered away from that direction. "Moon, where are you going?? This isn't the way to the library or Grandpa's!" Without a glance back, Moon continues on his steady pace towards a destination known only to him. But before she knows it, the big cat runs into a large clump of bushes and meows loudly. Thinking that he has been hurt, she dives into the bushes to look for him.

"Moon! Moon, where are you?? Crashing through to the other side of the clump, she runs head long into Seiji and falls flat on him. "Ouch. Moon, you silly cat! What has gotten into you?" Opening her eyes, she sees what has broken her fall. "Oh my gosh! Seiji, are you okay? Did I hurt you??" Jumping off of him, she quickly helps him up, completely embarrassed. I can't believe I did that, he must think I'm a total weirdo.

"Thank you for your help, but are you alright, Shizuku?" Seiji stands up and looks to her worriedly.

"Yes, I'm alright. I'm very sorry for knocking you down. I'm really not that clumsy. I was following Moon from the train station again when he darted into those bushes. And when I came out, I crashed into you." Oh great, now I'm babbling. Can this day get any worse?

Seiji just smiles as he listens to her. "It's okay Shizuku, but I have one question. Why didn't you meet me at the library? I was beginning to think that you didn't want to be seen with me."

They begin walking through the park while she explains Yuko's situation and the reason she was late. "So, we sat at the station for a bit and I had to wait for the next train." She left out the part on how she plans to confront Sugimura about his feelings for her and how he hurt her friend.

"So, you were going to meet me?" Seiji looks over to her with relief written on his face.

Shizuku nods, "Of course I was. So…why did you want to meet?"

Seiji leads her to a park bench and sits. "Well, I just wanted to talk to you and see if you had a change of mind since this morning."

She sits beside him and looks to the ground. "Yes, I have been doing some thinking, but first I want to thank you for carrying me inside. You didn't have to; it would have been fine to wake me up."

"I didn't want to disturb you, you looked so serene and like you needed the sleep so it was no problem for me to carry you inside." He looks to her lowered head. "Is something wrong? Shouldn't I have done that?"

Shizuku looks up to him quickly. "Oh no, it was alright, I'm just saying that I don't want to be a burden to you."

He reaches out tentatively and holds her hand. "You are never a burden to me. When I was in Italy, the thought of you and how I wanted to care for you helped me to study harder and show my skills to my master. I want to care for you, Shizuku, if you will let me?"


	3. Chapter 3: I love him, I love him not

Sorry all for another short chapter, but I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far!

Whisper of the Heart characters (c) Studio Ghibli

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_**Chapter 3: I love him, I love him not…**_

She looks at his wistful face for a long moment, unsure of what to say. She didn't want to say one thing when she was unsure of her feelings for him. But at the same moment, she couldn't bear to see him sad. "Seiji…I…don't know what to say."

A look of utter sadness mars his features before he covers it quickly with a forced smile. "I shouldn't be pressing you for an answer, I am sure you want to think things over. I just want you to know that I do care for you, so please, think long and hard before giving me an answer."

Shizuku nods slowly, trying to keep her tears from falling. I upset him…he's mad at me. Why is nothing going right today!!

At that strain filled moment, Moon walks up to them as if nothing has happened and jumps up on bench between them. Brushing up against Seiji's hand as if in comfort, Moon uncharacteristically begins to purr. Taking it as to mean that Seiji is more upset that he is letting on, Shizuku jumps up and runs off with tears in her eyes, not caring where she is going or how she gets there.

"Shizuku!! Where are you going? Please wait, don't run away!" He tries to get up to follow, but Moon has climbed onto his lap and refuses to move. Looking down to the cat with surprise and anger, he tries to lift him off. "Moon, you need to move, I have to go after her!" But he doesn't move and Seiji is forced to stay where he is as he watches her running away. Shizuku, I didn't mean to chase you away with my questions, please forgive me!

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she barely looks before crossing the street. The sounds of horns resonating in her ears, she continues to an unknown destination. What should I do? Why did I run away from him? He's going to think that I don't care for him. Tripping, she falls onto her hands and knees, trying to catch her breath and hold back tears. Oh Seiji, what have I done….

"Shizuku? Are you okay?" Sugimura runs up and kneels down beside her. "I saw you from inside the café, come one, let's go inside and get you some water." He helps her up and leads her inside to where he was sitting.

Trying not to look directly at him so he wouldn't notice her tears, she sits down with her hands folded in her lap. I feel like a fool. I run away from Seiji and right into Sugimura, what a day.

"You're bleeding. Here, take my napkin. It looks like it really hurts." He moistens his napkin with water and hands it to her. She absentmindedly holds it to her knee, wincing as she applies pressure.

"Here is your water, sir. Anything else I can get you?" The waitress stands beside the table and waits. He looks to Shizuku and her bleeding knee before answering. "Yes, could she get a cup of ice please?"

With a nod, the waitress leaves to fill the order. He wets another napkin and gingerly holds it out to her, unsure on how to proceed. "Shizuku?" He says softly, "Here, use this one to try and clean the scrape. It doesn't look too bad, but you don't want it to get infected."

Without thinking, she does as he says; wincing every time she rubs too hard. With her mind else where, she doesn't even notice the tears falling, but Sugimura does. He can't help but wonder what she is thinking about and for a brief moment, he believes that she is crying about her lost relationship with him.

Just then, the server returns. "Here is your glass of ice and I also brought a few band aids. That scrape doesn't look too bad, but it's always best to keep them clean." And with that, she sets the things on the table and walks away.

He takes the ice and wraps it in a napkin, but seeing that her mind is elsewhere, he reaches out and places it on her knee. With a start, she looks up quickly to him and moves her leg. "What are you doing?"

Sitting back, he looks to her confused. "What do you mean? I was just trying to help out since it seems that your mind has wandered." Setting down the napkin, he stares at her and tries to figure out what to do next. "Listen, I know that I said I wouldn't bring it back up, but have you given any thought to what I said the other day?"

Oh no, not him too! And this day had started out so well and full of promise. She stands up quickly, dropping the napkin from her knee and starts to head for the door. "I need to go home." She mumbles, unable to believe how this day is turning out.

"Wait, don't go! I shouldn't have said anything, but I couldn't help it. I've had these feelings for you ever since that day you said hello to me. Why won't you give me a chance Shizuku?" Hearing his words stops her dead in her tracks. She just stands there with her back to him and listens, holding back the tears that threaten to expose her emotions. Sugimura turns around in his chair and stares at her back with a look of complete despair. He wants to get up and hold her, sensing the flood of emotions that have engulfed her, but he doesn't. He also sees the anger in her posture and doesn't want to push her away any more then he already has. With a soft sigh, her turns back to the table and just shakes his head. "I did it again, I'm sorry for my outburst but you have me so frustrated that I don't know what to do. If you want to just be friends, I will try my hardest to be the best friend to you I can."

Tears slide down her cheeks as she listens to him. Why am I crying? Seiji is the one I love, isn't he? But then, why does Sugimura's words make me sad? Wiping away the tears roughly, she turns back to him and lightly rests her hand on his shoulder. "I may not be able to return the affections you have for me, but please don't give up on love because if you do, I know someone who will be very disappointed. I'll see you in school Monday." With a light squeeze, she smiles a bit before walking to the door and leaving. I hope Yuko talks to him soon, and then maybe he'll forget about me.


	4. Chapter 4: The Road Less Traveled

Thanks for sticking with me through the short chapters and the wait between updates. But I promise to work harder!

Whisper of the Heart characters (c) Studio Ghibli

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**_Chapter 4: The Road Less Traveled_**

Staring at the last spot he saw her, a low groan escapes from his lips as he turns back to look at the cat who is now resting in her spot. "Now look what you did Moon, I have no idea where she went!" Resting his head in his hands, he wonders if he's lost her forever. It was never his intention to put her in such a position today; he just wanted to be with her. But every time he looked at her, he remembered how happy she was when he proposed. Could she be having second thoughts? Is that why she ran away? No, he pressed the issue and made her uncomfortable, which is why she ran from him. Still, maybe he scared her by asking her to marry him. What in the world possessed him to ask was beyond him, all he knew was that at that moment; he wanted to be with her forever. "Well Moon, are you going to stay here or do you want to help me find Shizuku? Lifting his head, he looks next to him only to find the cat missing. "Moon? Where did you go? Not you too!" Glancing about, he locates the cat walking in the same direction she had run just moments earlier. "Hey, wait up!"

Standing in front of the café, she debates what to do next. She probably should go home and study or do some more housework, but she didn't feel like going home yet. With a soft sigh, she just picks a direction and begins walking, not really caring where she is headed. She walks for a few moments, only paying enough attention to avoid vehicles and other people, before she finally takes notice on where she is. Without even thinking about it, she has made her way to the library. But surprisingly, she doesn't feel like going inside. The thought of books made her think of Seiji…Shaking her head, she slowly walks away from the library and actually smiles a bit, never thinking there would be a time when she didn't want to be surrounded by books. But where to go? Glancing at her watch, she is surprised to see that it is only 4:30. An hour and a half ago, she was supposed to meet Seiji for a wonderful afternoon and now she is wandering alone feeling miserable. What a day, but then again, isn't that just how her life goes? The sound of a loud deep horn wakes her from her thoughts and she glances up to see Moon sitting in the middle of the street cleaning his paws as a large truck quickly approaches. What a crazy cat!! "Moon!! Wake up and move your bubble behind before you get squished!" Moon, being the kind of cat he is, just glances up at her before giving his paw one last lick. Then, he casually gets up and slowly makes his way across the street just as the truck comes to a screeching halt. Tail raised high, he continues his slow pace till he reaches the other side, and with one more look to her, he begins to walk down the sidewalk. Now what can he be up to now? Without thinking, she darts out into the street right in front of the same truck as the sound of the horn follows her. But she doesn't care, right now all she can think about is chasing after Moon in hopes that he will lead her to Seiji. Darting through the crowd, she tries to keep her eyes on the tubby cat but he manages to lose her.

As soon as he started to follow the cat, he lost him. It's as if he managed to disappear right in front of his eyes! "Moon! Moon, where are you? How am I supposed to follow you if I can't see you?!" In frustration, he runs his fingers through his hair as he debates on what to do next. All he wanted was to spend some time with her, to be near her. How did he manage to mess things up this badly? "Do I go to look for her or do I just give up and talk to her later?" As he stands there debating, someone runs into him from behind. Turning around quickly, he smiles happily thinking that it may be her but the smile fades just as fast when it turns out he is wrong.

"Oh excuse me! I should have been watching where I was going, please forgive me!" His eyes rest upon a girl about Shizuku's age and height, but she has long dark brown hair that is pulled back in two braids and a face full of freckles.

"There is no need to apologize, it's my fault for standing in the middle of the sidewalk. So please, forgive my stupidity." He forced a smile as he stepped to the side to allow her to pass.

Yuko's eyes opened wide when she realized who she had bumped into. It was that guy Shizuku had been telling her about. She remembered when he was pointed out to her at school one day. All she could do was nod her head and quickly walk past him. He certainly looked troubled, I wonder if something is going on with them.

Seiji watched as the girl walked away, wondering why she was surprised to see him. Perhaps he met her once before but he couldn't place her face. With a sigh, he shook his head. He had more important things to do right now and that was finding Shizuku. He scanned the area carefully, trying to locate where Moon went, but all he could think of was her. Unable to find the feline, he just started to wander hoping that his heart would lead him. He never thought he would feel this way about someone. Sure he had girlfriends before, but she was different. He didn't even think of her that way, she was more like …a soul mate. He may not have known her long, but there was just something that caused them to click. At least, that's how he felt.

"Moon! Why do you always do this to me? Couldn't you just walk to where he is instead of running and trying to loose me?" Even though people were staring at her, she kept of running and yelling at the cat. She didn't care, she just wanted to be with Seiji again. First she was running away from him and now she was running to him, why couldn't she make up her mind? Then again, could she even think about not being with him? Just the thought brought pain to her heart. No, she had to straighten herself out and find a way deal with her feelings. Running away won't solve anything. With a determined nod of her head, she made her way out of the crowd and to a bench. Climbing on top of it, she scans the area for the gray kitty but has no luck. "I wonder what Seiji is doing right now…" As she talks to herself, she debates on what to do next. Perhaps she wasn't meant to follow Moon this time, maybe he was just going to one of his many families. No, he purposefully tried to get her attention and waited for her to notice him before fleeing. But where is he then?


	5. Chapter 5: A Guiding Hand

I just had to bring Moon back into the story, he's a cool cat! And you gotta love wise Grandpa.

Whisper of the Heart (c) Studio Ghibli

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**_Chapter 5: A Guiding Hand_**

"Seiji, is that you son?" Grandpa Nishi walks towards him with a puzzled look on his face. I wonder what has gotten him so upset?

He looks up and it take him a moment to register who is talking to him. He was so deep in thought that he hadn't been paying attention to anything around him. "Grandpa?" He then noticed the bags he was carrying and rushed over to help. "Let me help you carry them. Are you on your way home?" He took most of the bags and tried to look like his normal self, but by the look Grandpa was giving him, he wasn't succeeding.

With one last look, he decided it was best to ask his questions later. "Thank you Seiji, it's days like this when I can feel how old I am." He started to walk down the sidewalk towards home. "Yes I am, I decided to make my famous wanton ramen tonight for supper. I was hoping to surprise you and Shizuku with it, but I am glad that I ran into you. I couldn't have made it all the way home carrying those bags without stopping to rest. In fact," He suddenly changed direction and headed towards the park. "I think a rest sounds like a great idea. Let's go to the park for a short break."

Seiji followed behind him, half listening to what he was saying ,but not really caring. He had lost Shizuku and there was no way he was going to be able to find her today. From the way he was feeling, he would need that wanton ramen today and plenty of it. "The park?" He looked up to his grandpa in surprise. Did he know what happened today? But then, how could he? Just then, his eyes caught the familiar sight of the pudgy cat darting into a clump of bushes. So Moon was leading them back to the park, but why? Could it be that she was there waiting for him? With a surge of hope, he quickens his pace a bit until he is walking just a head of the older man. Please let her be there…

Nishi watched as his grandson started walking in front of him. So his suspicions were correct, something did happen between the two. Thankfully he paid attention to his intuition and of course to Moon! He planned to give them a little helpful push and to listen if they needed an ear. Those two seemed to be made for each other. He had never seen his grandson so engrossed into something besides books and the violin. But then again, all those books he checked out was to get her attention. He couldn't help but smile, ah yes, young love.

As Seiji rounded the corner, the view of the bench where he last saw her came into sight. She wasn't there. Of course not, why did he ever think that she would be there waiting for him? With sadness filling his heart, his pace slowed to an eventual stop. I need to get out of here, I can't let Grandpa know how I pushed her away forever.

Seeing his grandson struggling with his emotions, he goes to the bench and sits down. "Ahhhh, it feels good to rest my poor feet. And don't ask me why I didn't just drive to the store. Sometimes, when you get older, you believe that you can do everything by yourself. But that's not how it works. Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes and no matter how stubborn a person can be, they just need to swallow their pride and do it." He glanced at Seiji out of the corner of his eye. But the poor boy was just standing there and looking at the ground. It seems that subtly wasn't going to work, he was going to have to be a bit more direct. "Seiji, why don't you sit with your old grandpa for a spell and tell him what is bothering you?" For the briefest moment, Seiji looked like he was going to drop the bags and bolt, but common sense got the better of him and he walked over and sat down.

"Grandpa, I did the worst thing I could possible do. I've chased Shizuku away." Burying his head in his hands, he just sits there. What am I going to do without her? A gentle touch on his shoulder brings him out of his thoughts. Looking up, he sees grandpa looking to him with a soft smile.

"Why don't you tell me what happened starting at the beginning." So he is taken through the whole tale, starting from the reason he checked out all those books to their meeting early that cold morning. With a gentle laugh, he just shakes his head and pats the young man's shoulder. "Oh Seiji, I don't mean to laugh at your predicament, but I don't think you have chased her away. True you may have been a bit…eager in your constant asking, but that is just natural for someone who is in love. If you just give her a little time to digest everything that has happened today, I'm sure she'll come around." Giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, he stands up and takes one of the grocery bags. "Come on, let's go to the shop. I'm sure she'll stop by later and then you two can talk. Just remember, you've let your feelings known, now the ball is in her court."

Standing up slowly, Seiji takes a last slow look around, then with a sigh, he begins to follow the old man. He's right, I was foolish to have been so pushy, I'll just give her some space and some time to think. Still…I wish Shizuku was here right now. "Grandpa? Thanks, I really needed someone to talk to. You have been a big help." With a smile, he catches up to him as they begin to make their way to the shop.

"You are very welcome, son. Just know that if you ever need to talk, I am always available at anytime. Now how about we hurry back so I can start those noodles, I'm starving!"


	6. Chapter 6: Building a Bridge

WAAAH! My chapters always seem longer when I'm typing them! Sorry again, but I did get a few chapters done so that makes up for it, right??

Whisper of the Heart (c) Studio Ghibli

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**_Chapter 6: Building a Bridge_**

Shizuku peeks out from behind the large elm where she had been eavesdropping on Seiji and Grandpa. Oh Seiji, I didn't mean to put you through all that. Slumping down, she leans against the majestic tree and wraps her arms around her knees. But instead of feeling sorry for herself, she debates on the best way to patch things up between them. With a gentle purr against her legs, she reaches out to pet the roaming Moon. "You silly cat, it's almost as if you had this whole planned out. Thank you for leading me here." And Moon's reply? He turned and looked to her with that typical all knowing cat stare as if to say, 'Of course I planned it, I am a cat you know.' With a smile, she gives him one final pet before standing and heading towards the shop. But first, she changes direction and goes home to leave a note.

I wonder if I should have asked him where Shizuku was. No, if they are fighting, the last thing he'd want is to hear her name. I just hope everything is alright. Maybe I should go to her house and see if she is there. With a decisive nod, Yuko crosses the street and thinks of surprising her with a sweet to cheer her up. She enters into the first café she finds and walks up to the counter to look at all the delicious goodies they have for sale. "Excuse me ma'am, could I get two squares of brownies with nuts to go please?"

"Of course, one moment please." The waitress boxed up two large squares and gave it to the person standing at the register. Yuko then got in line and waited to pay. Luckily, the line was short, only three others in front of her. She stood there and was running through the different ways she could cheer up her friend when all of a sudden a familiar voice called her name.

"Yuko? Is that you?" Sugimura was behind her, waiting to pay for his own items.

Oh no, why did I have to run into him! She instantly turned red when she turned around and looked at him. "Hello Sugimura." What should I do? Here is my chance to talk to him, but I really should go and see Shizuku.

"Miss? Is this all for you today?" The waiter waited with her take out, a bit anxious since the line had grown.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry!" Quickly she paid for the items and moved aside with a sigh. I guess he will just have to wait till another day. Right now, I should go and see if I can help her.

He moved up to the counter and paid for his items, all the while glancing at Yuko. She seemed worried about something. Then again, so was he after the little fiasco he had with Shizuku earlier. He really needs to stop thinking about her, she made her feelings very clear to him and he just needs to accept them. "So Yuko, what's in the bag?" Moving aside to let the other customers through, he looks to her.

"Umm…brownies." He's going to think I'm a pig! I should just leave now before get worse. She begins to inch her way closer to the door, not really wanting to leave yet, but knowing that it's probably for the best.

He watches her in confusion. Did I say something wrong? "Brownies? Those are my favorite." Suddenly he remembered what Shizuku told him…Yuko had a crush on him! Now it was his turn to blush. Well that explains why she's acting a bit awkward around him. Looking to her now, he was unsure on how to behave around her. He never really gave her much thought, it was always Shizuku he had in mind. But since she wanted nothing to do with him, perhaps he should open his eyes to other possibilities…

He's looking at me, why is he looking at me? "O-oh, really? I bought some for Shizuku and I, this isn't all for me. I find brownies to be extremely sweet, too sweet to eat all that I bought." And now I'm babbling, great. "I should probably go."

"Wait, did you say Shizuku? How is she? Did she get that scrape cleaned up?" He tried not to sound too interested, just someone asking a casual question.

Turning back to look at him, Yuko stares at him, full of questions. "Did you say she was hurt? When was this? I just saw her an hour ago." Why would she be hurt? That guy she likes doesn't seem the type to be violent.

"Um, yeah. I was in here eating when I saw her trip outside. She scraped her knee, but it didn't look that bad. Must have just tripped on a crack or something. I told her she should go home and get it cleaned before it got infected. But she seemed like something was bothering her so I don't think she really heard me. Anyways, she left just a bit ago to go home. What ever was bothering her, it didn't seem like she wanted to be around anyone." Well, that wasn't the whole truth, but she didn't need to know about the argument they had.

Yuko looked down to the floor and then to the bag of sweets, perhaps I should just give Shizuku some time alone. What ever is bothering her, I'm sure she'll call me later and tell me about it. Also, this will give me the chance to talk to Sugimura. "I guess I'll let her be for now and just call her later. If you're not busy, would you like to share these brownies with me, that is if you didn't already have dessert." I can't believe this, I'm actually going to talk to him. She could feel her whole face turn red, I can't back out now, I have to do this!

"That sounds like a good idea. How about we go to the park and sit there?" He was a bit confused at her request, but maybe it would give him a chance to ask a few questions about Shizuku. Maybe Yuko can tell me why she's so against me. "Hey, let me get us something to drink, I'll meet you outside."

All she could do was nod and quickly walk to the door, trying very hard to contain her excitement as she stepped out into the bright day. I can't believe this is happening, I can't believe this is happening! Okay, I need to calm down before he gets here. But was it wrong for me to abandon my original plan just to spend time with him? She couldn't help but feel guilty at what she did. Then again, it was a little late for her to change her plans once more. I just hope Shizuku can forgive me.

He quickly got back in line, his mind wandering as he waited. Finally, maybe he can find out what is going on with Shizuku. I've always been so nice to her, why doesn't she share my feelings?

"Sir, can I help you?"

The waiters words snapped him out of his thoughts. "Umm, yes. Two cartons of milk to go, please." As he paid for them, he felt a wave of guilt beginning to wash over him. Is he really going to use Yuko just to satisfy his curiosity about Shizuku? He knew guys who wouldn't hesitate to do just that and he always thought that they were disgusting. But here he is, about to go through with it. And to top it off, Yuko liked him. He didn't want to hurt her feelings and he certainly didn't want to make her cry again. With a sigh, he took the bag with the milk and walked to the door. Maybe, he should just forget about Shizuku once and for all and focus on getting to know Yuko. He paused at the door as he looked out to her standing there. With the sun shinning on her hair and the gentle blush on her cheeks, he couldn't help but feel his own cheeks redden. Yes, I think that is a good idea.


	7. Chapter 7: Follow Your Heart

And here we are, the last chapter of my tale! Don't worry though, I am already working on a sequel...for anyone who cares. "

Thank you all who have read my first story and for sticking with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Whisper of the Heart, that honor goes to Studio Ghibli.

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_**Chapter 7: Follow Your Heart**_

I have to hurry, I don't want Seiji to be sad anymore! She runs quickly to the train station and is just in time to catch the it. Slipping through the closing doors, she locates an open seats and sits with a sigh.

"Excuse me Miss, is that your cat?" A woman with two young children looked to her.

It can't be Moon, I just left him at the park! She turned quickly to where the woman was pointing and was surprised to see a skinny black cat near the doors. Sighing in relief that it wasn't him, she shook her head. "No ma'am." Shizuku then settled back into her seat and gave into the thoughts that filled her brain. What was she going to do after she went home? Would Seiji want to see her right now or should she give him some time to calm down? Part of her wanted to see him as soon as possible and the other half wanted to give him some space. Which was the right answer? As she debated, her glance kept going over to the cat. What was he doing here? It reminded her of the day she first saw Moon and how that day had changed her life. Part of her wanted to follow this cat, to see where it would take her, but she knew that she had other things to do and that adventure would have to wait for another day.

Her mind continued to race as she got off at her stop and started to run for her house. She didn't care about anything except getting home before anyone else arrived. She didn't want to have to explain everything when time was short. Quickly she ran up the stairs to her home, throwing open the door, she pauses briefly to listen for life. Nothing, she had beaten them. Grabbing the closest piece of paper, she scribbled a note stating that she wouldn't be home for supper but will be back later. Setting it on the table, she was ready to run again when she stopped and looked in the mirror. She couldn't see Seiji like this! After a quick trip to her room, she brushed her hair and changed her clothes. A simple red skirt and white shirt. She also grabbed her yellow sweater and headed for the door. Part of her felt bad, she promised her parents that she'd start to study and here she is, going out. Once she got things settled with Seiji, with a clear mind she could begin to concentrate.

Once again, she ran out the door and onto the street. I have to hurry, I want to make sure to catch him before he goes home! As the sky slowly began to turn dark, she ran the now familiar path to the train station. If she kept this up, they might start to recognize her. Taking the same seat, she looked out the window as she felt her heart beginning to beat faster in her chest. Many worries swam through her mind as the train brought her closer and closer to him. What am I going to say to him when I just show up at Grandpa's uninvited? Her fingers played with the hem of her skirt as she began to become more nervous. The sound of the doors opening caused her to jump slightly, she was almost there. Slowly, she walked out of the train car and without thinking about it, began the trek to Grandpa's. What started as a snails pace soon escalated to a jog and then a run. She knew what she had to do and she didn't want to put it off any longer. The sight of the large tree in front of the shop caused her heart to feel like it was about to burst out of her chest.

She could see that the door was shut and the curtain pulled along with the familiar "closed" sign. What to do now? Knocking on the door was the obvious choice, but…what if they didn't hear her or were downstairs in the workshop? There really wasn't any other option. Taking a deep breath, she approached the door and raised her hand to knock. But before she could do so, it opened and out sauntered Moon. After a quick glance up to her, he rubbed along her legs as he continued to walk past her.

"Shizuku. Please come in, you're just in time for dinner." Grandpa stood at the door and looked to her with his friendly smile.

Behind him sat Seiji and his large bowl of steaming ramen. With chopsticks raised and noodles dangling from his lips, he looked to her in surprise. With a quick slurp, he finished what he had on his chopsticks and then stood up. "Shizuku! What are you doing here?" He took a step towards her, but then stopped. It still hurt that she didn't feel the same way he did for her. But just the sight of her caused his heart to beat faster. No matter how much she hurt him, he would always love her.

Grandpa just smiled as he walked inside further to the kitchen. "Let me go and grab you a bowl, please have a seat."

All she could do is watch as her source of comfort walked away. Slowly, she turned to face Seiji and after talking a deep breath, she walked over to him. "Seiji, I know that it is not enough for all the pain I put you through, but I want to say that I am sorry." As the words left her mouth, tears began to stream down her cheeks. The thought of hurting him was unbearable to her. She now knew that she loved him with the same passion as he did for her. Perhaps it was her stubbornness that held her back from seeing her true feelings for him. Lowering her head, she let the tears fall. She was ashamed of herself for being so immature. She didn't deserve someone as wonderful as Seiji.

"Please don't cry, Shizuku." He wanted to walk over to her, to hold her and dry her tears, but he didn't want to push her away again. So instead, he pulled out a chair next to his and held out his hand to her. "Why don't you sit."

Raising her head, she nodded as she wiped away her tears. Taking the seat, she folded her hands in her lap and stared at them. What do I say to him? How do I covey my thoughts to him? She could hear him sitting back down and knew that he was looking at her, but she didn't dare look up.

"Shizuku…" There was so much he wanted to say, to ask. But all he could do is sigh. Perhaps it was time he realized that this might be a one sided relationship. "Shizuku, I don't want to pressure you into a relationship you aren't ready for. If you want us to just be friends…I understand."

Hearing his words, she lifted her head quickly and reached out to him, recognizing the familiar speech that was similar to the one she gave Sugimura. "No Seiji, that's not it at all! I don't want to be friends…I mean, yes I do want to be friends with you but I want more then that. I was stupid to push you away and give the impression that I didn't want to be near you. I-I love you Seiji!" Pulling back her hand, she gripped the table tight as she fumbled through the feelings she wanted to convey to him. It wasn't the perfect speech it could have been, but she hoped he understood what was in her heart.

When she looked up, he braced himself to hear the words that would break his heart. But instead, her words caused him to smile, a smile that widened and filled his face. She loves me! "Shizuku…" Unable to sit still, he jumped up and went over to her. Kneeling down beside her, he pulled her into a hug, murmuring words of affection.

Powerless to hold back the tears anymore, she wrapped her arms around him and cried as she listened to his words of love. "Forgive me Seiji and please give me another chance to be by your side." Her words were soft and light as she whispered them, promising to herself that never again would she give him any reason to doubt her love.

"Shizuku, I will give you a thousand chances, anything to have your love." Raising his head, he looked deep into her eyes as he smiled and leaned his forehead to hers.

Grandpa peeked through the kitchen door and smiled as he watched the tale unfold. Yes, things are as they should be. Closing the door quietly, he chuckled softly to himself…true love is wonderful.

_**The End**_


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